DPP to field candidates in UDF  strongholds

Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has changed tune on its earlier announcement not to hold primary elections in the United Democratic Front (UDF) strongholds of Mangochi and Mangochi, saying the party will now field candidates.

DPP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi was responding to queries from different parliamentary and Local government election aspirants who are concerned with the delays to hold the primaries when the presentation of nomination papers to the Malawi Electoral Commission is due early February.

“As a party, we are going to tell the aspirants when the primaries would be held. When the party finalizes the arrangements, they will be communicated to,” said Dausi.

The change of the tune over the fielding of candidates in each other’s strongholds has put to light the strenuous relationship that has surfaced between the two political bed fellows.

The UDF president Atupele Muluzi is the sole cabinet minister in the Peter Mutharika’s 20-member cabinet although the party has helped the ruling party in parliament where it was in minority.

The primary elections were first scheduled to happen on January 20 but were postponed to another date.

The UDF vice president Lilian Patel on Wednesday accused the suspected  DPP  thugs of hiring UDF supporters for political violence and warned the UDF would not sit back and watch as its name is dented.

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